The Portland daily press., 1887-12-29
the READING STRIKE.
Conflicting Reports Concerning the
Situation.
Evidences OF Impending Trouble
from Many Points.
Armed PInkerton Men on Duty
Guarding Railroad Property.

PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 2S.--The general
manager of the Philadelphia & Reading
Railroad Company sent word from his office
today that "the operation OF the road is al
most without obstruction"
A leading official of the road said that he
had not heard anything in reference to the
reported order for renewal Of the strike.
He doubted whether such an order had been
issued. and said that 1t could have no serious
effect, as at least one-haf OF the men now
at work are new men and would not be gov
erned by any action of knights Of Labor
committee.
The Real Trouble Begins.
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 2s.-The Reading
employees late today took decided action to
bring the company to terms. Notice was
| quietly issued this morning to the men all
along the line to drop work. At Port Rich
mond, as fast as the different crews brought
| in the trains, they left their positions. The
order to strike affects even the watchmen at
the yards. All were ordered out by the ex-
ecutive committee of the employees, which
met this afternoon, and the men generally
obeyed. The men declare now their deter
mination to fight to the bitter end. They
claim that they have received advices from
Reading, Pottsville and other points on the
| system, that they will have the support of
| the company's employees all along the line.
General Manager Mcleod still persists that
there is no strike. The order to strike. as
understood, includes all trains except those
| carving the United States mails. This
means, II strictly enforced. that the men in
| tend to interrupt passenger as well as freight
| traffic.
New YORK, Dec. philadelphia dis
| patches are very conflicting in regard to
| operations on the Reading road today, and
one of them states that the men at Port
Richmond are all out. that no trains have
come in from MahOnoy city, while the
Shamoxin line is said to be tied up, with the
trains side tracked.
PoTTsvILLE, Pa, Dec. 28.-There is no
perceptible interruption of operations here.
An unusual large complement of trains left
Palo Alto this morning, mostly manned by
non-union men and brotherhood engineers.
SHAMoKIN, Pa, Dec. 2S.--Not a single
crew reported Tor duty this morning. Trade
is practically at a Standstill as far as the
Reading Railroad is concerned. Matters are
looking serious.
READING, Pa, Dec. 28.--The officials here
do not apprehend any great dliticulty with
the miners ON the ground that with them, as
with the railroaders, the present strike has
caused a division of sentiment on the subject
of striking. 1t is estimated that from 800 to
800 employees of the Reading railroad along
the entire line have lost their positions be-
company's orders or helped to foment and
encourage the strike Fully fifty per cent. of
the crews passing through the city are new
men. This afternoon nearly 200 coal and
freight engineers, brakemen and fremen
were called to Reading, paid off and dis
charged for the part they took in the strike.
A great division of sentiment will probably
be developed at the convention of railroad
employees which has been called to meet here
tomorrow evening.
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 28.-About 800 Pink
erton policemen have been stationed in and
about the coal wharves and roundhouse at
Port Richmond. They are in citizens dress
but all are armed. Late this afternoon 100
more were sworn in. The following was
posted at the Willon street wharf Office to-
night:
A reward of $1,000 will paid any person or per-
sons who will furnish evidence which will lead to
the arrest and conviction of any person or persons
guilty of violence to the company's employees or
its property.
ST. CLAIRE, Pa, Dec. 2S.-Not single
coal train started out on the Fraskville
branch this morning The Reading Railroad
Company employs some 25 crews and engines
on this branch, in the transportation of
about 1900 cars Of coal daily. The men are
apparently firm.